Rehabilitation patient positioning device

Abstract

Patient support and positioning system for continuous passive motion (CPM) machines comprising a fully adjustable chair to which is attached a horizontal telescoping arm having a coupling member for fastening the vertical stand of a CPM machine thereto. The chair has full adjustment in all axes: rotation around a vertical center axis; vertical height adjustment; fully adjustable seat back, both fore-and-aft and vertically for proper lumbar support; and tilt of the seat. The telescoping arm is lockably adjustable in length to provide proper center-to-center distance between the center post of the chair and the CPM machine support. The arm further includes a downward vertical step member at its outboard CPM machine connecting end to permit proper vertical alignment of the CPM machine for users having a short torso. The arm also provides a support for a CPM power supply/control unit, and has means for securing the power cord out of the way off the floor. The invention permits support of the patient with a full range of adjustment so that the patient can have proper positioning for selected exercise of the selected extremity in flexion/extension, forward flexion/extension internal/external rotation, supination/pronation and the like.

We claim: 
     
       1. A patient support and positioning assembly for proper positioning of a patient/user for use of a continuous passive motion machine for rehabilitative exercise of an extremity comprising in operative combination; a) a swivel chair having: i) a single, generally vertical center post having an upper and a lower end and means for height adjustment;   ii) a back having means for adjustable lumbar support;   iii) a multiple radiating leg base assembly secured to the lower end of said center post; and   iv) a seat rotatably secured to the upper end of said center post;     b) a generally horizontal arm assembly connected to a base portion of said chair center post, said arm assembly having an outboard end with means for receivingly engaging a continuous passive motion machine, and said arm assembly having means for adjusting the lateral distance between said continuous passive motion machine engaging means and said chair center post; and   c) said seat rotation and height adjustment relative to said lateral distance provides a complete range of positioning of said patient with respect to a continuous passive motion machine for selected exercise of elbow and extension, shoulder forward flexion and extension, internal and external shoulder rotation, or wrist supination and pronation.   
     
     
       2. A patient support and positioning assembly as in claim 1 which includes: a) a continuous passive motion machine mounted on said continuous passive motion machine engaging means.   
     
     
       3. A patient support and positioning assembly as in claim 2 wherein: a) said continuous passive motion machine is an upper extremity machine.   
     
     
       4. A patient support and positioning assembly as in claim 3 wherein: a) said upper extremity machine is a shoulder continuous passive motion machine.   
     
     
       5. A patient support and positioning assembly as in claim 3 wherein: a) said upper extremity machine is a elbow continuous passive motion machine.   
     
     
       6. A patient support and positioning assembly as in claim 1 wherein: a) said arm is an adjustable telescoping arm assembly.   
     
     
       7. A patient support and positioning assembly as in claim 6 wherein a) means for releasably locking said arm in any desired extended length;   b) a vertical step member disposed at an outboard end adjacent said means for receivingly engaging said continuous passive motion machine; and   c) said step member displaces the base of said continuous passive motion machine with respect to said chair a sufficient distance to permit the proper vertical alignment for use of an upper extremity machine by users having a short torso.   
     
     
       8. A patient support and positioning assembly as in claim 6 which includes: a) means for clampingly engaging said arm assembly to said chair center post.   
     
     
       9. A patient support and positioning assembly as in claim 8 wherein: a) said chair center post includes a gas lift device.   
     
     
       10. A patient support and positioning assembly as in claim 9 which includes: a) a platform connected to said arm assembly; and   b) said platform including means for retainingly engaging an electronic unit associated with power or control of said continuous passive motion machine.   
     
     
       11. A patient support and positioning assembly as in claim 9 wherein: a) said chair includes means for locking the rotational angle of said seat in a desired position.   
     
     
       12. A patient support and positioning assembly as in claim 11 wherein: a) said telescoping arm assembly further includes a hollow inner tube member; and   b) a hollow outer sleeve member which includes means for retaining at least one electrical cord.   
     
     
       13. A patient support and positioning assembly as in claim 12 which includes: a) a platform connected to said arm assembly; and   b) said platform including means for retainingly engaging an electronic unit associated with power or control of said continuous passive motion machine.   
     
     
       14. A patient support and positioning assembly as in claim 13 wherein: a) said chair includes means for tilting said chair seat.   
     
     
       15. A patient support and positioning assembly as in claim 8 wherein: a) said arm assembly clamping means engages said chair center post adjacent the juncture of said chair center post to said leg base assembly.   
     
     
       16. A patient support and positioning assembly as in claim 6 wherein: a) said telescoping arm assembly includes a rack and gear assembly for adjustably advancing and retracting said arm.   
     
     
       17. A patient support and positioning assembly as in claim 16 wherein: a) said rack and gear assembly includes means for power assisted drive thereof.   
     
     
       18. A patient support and positioning assembly for proper positioning of a patient/user for use of continuous passive motion machine for rehabilitative exercise of an extremity comprising in operative combination: a) a swivel chair having: i) a single, generally vertical center post having an upper and a lower end, and a lockable gas-lift device for height adjustment;   ii) a back having means for adjustable lumbar support;   iii) a multiple radiating leg base assembly secured to the lower end of said center post; and   iv) a seat rotatably secured to the upper end of said center post;     b) a generally horizontal, telescoping arm assembly connected to said chair center post; said arm assembly having: i) an outboard end with means for receivingly engaging a continuous passive motion machine, and an inboard end with means for retainingly engaging an electronic unit for power or control of said continuous passive motion machine;   ii) means for lockingly adjusting the lateral distance between said continuous passive motion machine engaging means and said chair center post;   iii) means for clampingly engaging said arm assembly to said chair center post;     c) an upper extremity continuous passive motion machine mounted on said continuous passive motion machine engaging means, and having an electric control or power unit supported on said arm by said engaging means; and   d) said seat rotation and height adjustment relative to said lateral distance provides a complete range of positioning of said patient with respect to a continuous passive motion machine for selected exercise of elbow and extension, shoulder and extension, internal and external shoulder rotation, or wrist supination and pronation.   
     
     
       19. A patient support and positioning assembly as in claim 18 wherein: a) said upper extremity machine is a shoulder or elbow continuous passive motion machine;   b) said chair includes means for locking the rotational angle of said seat in a desired position; and   c) said outboard end includes a vertical extension member having a downward displacement sufficient to permit the proper use of said shoulder or elbow continuous passive motion machine by users having short torsos.   
     
     
       20. A patient support and positioning assembly as in claim 19 wherein: a) said telescoping arm assembly is hollow and includes: i) means for permitting at least one electrical cord to be passed therethrough; and   ii) a rack and gear assembly for adjustably advancing and retracting said arm.